


It'll Work Out

by nonsensicalbelle



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Awesome Sarah Rogers, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, M/M, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Skinny!Steve, Steve Needs a Hug, basically everyone has graduated and has to figure out what to do with their lives, they've all come back to their home town, this could become a beast
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-07-13 17:03:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16022201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonsensicalbelle/pseuds/nonsensicalbelle
Summary: Steve bumps into an old high school crush in less than ideal circumstances. His Mother takes a shine to charming James Barnes and the Bucky Steve remembers from high school has only grown more handsome. It's more of a dare than a good idea, but for better or worse, Steve won't back down from a fight.





	It'll Work Out

**Author's Note:**

> who even knows anymore  
> i've been living on people's sofas for two weeks and practically live in the library (i'm away from home in full time rehearsals for a performance)  
> this may turn into something more or i may leave it, depends if anyone is interested in reading more??  
> let me know what you think, thanks for reading!

Steve was almost buckling under the weight of his and his Mother’s swimming bag and their weekly shop. This combined with feeling waterlogged and wearing a coat when it had turned out warmer than he’d expected added up to a bedraggled, teetering, damp, wheezing mess. They went swimming every week several times to keep her strength up but Sundays meant a weekly shop too and it was always a bit of a strain. However, he be damned if he let his Mother carry a thing, especially with the way she was wavering a little in the heat.

“What shall I make us for dinner, Stevie?” She said lightly as they walked back past the leisure centre and through the car park.

“I can make it, Ma.” He insisted and she laughed heartily, startling a grin out of him.

“Yeah, alright masterchef, you make dinner!” He scoffed, faux-offended and she laughed more.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart but I’ve never known someone get a second degree burn from pancake batter,”

“How was I supposed to know it would bubble!” He objected, embarrassed and she chuckled.

As they walked closer to the bus station, Steve awkwardly fumbled with the bags to try and reach the change that was in the bottom of his pockets. It was at this moment, digging for coins, balancing far too many bags on his bony wrists, hair still wet from swimming and eyes red from the chlorine that he saw him.

Actually, not just saw, but nearly got hit by his car. It came to a jarring halt and someone yelled out of the passenger side window but Steve’s heart was in his throat – he knew Bucky Barnes’ face even through the sun glare on the windshield.

“Steven, you’re causing some gridlock,” His Mother called from down the road.

“Uh, yeah, I, I’m coming,” He yelled and tripped up on the kerb in his haste and tried to pull the change from his pockets and naturally sent it flying all over the sidewalk. He let his eyes shut as he hissed a sigh.

He could hear the car parking as he sank down and tried to retain any remaining dignity whilst scrambling to pick up every last piece of loose change because he knew he only had just enough to get them home.

“Rogers!” He flinched at hearing his name and ignored it, pretending his cheeks weren’t flaming red when one of the shopping bags split and cans were sent rolling off the sidewalk.

“You need some help?” He looked up and Barnes was stood there looking halfway amused halfway concerned. And just as gorgeous as Steve remembered. His friends, some Steve recognised from high school, were catcalling and yelling as they walked away, clearly about to hit the gym in the leisure centre.

“No. Absolutely not.” Steve snapped a little harsher than he meant to. “I, no thank you, I mean. I’ve got it.”

He tried to grab a piece of change glinting at him from the floor and the bags weighing his arm down kept getting in the way. Bucky crouched down and easily plucked it up – passing it to him. Steve just nodded – mortified. He scanned the loose change in his hand and groaned inwardly, some was still missing. He scrambled around for it.

Bucky moved and picked up the stray cans. “You sure you’re alright?”

“Yes, I, I’m fine, I just. I had another fifty cents,” He murmured, frustration and embarrassment growing.

Bucky chuckled. “Can you live without it?” He wasn’t being unkind just thoughtless but it made Steve bristle.

“Well with the fifty cents I can get me and my Ma home and without it I can’t, so,” He grit out and instantly regretted it. He didn’t dare peek up at Bucky for fear of the judgement he’d receive. He saw out of his peripheral Bucky stand and walk away. Figures. Steve hung his head for a second – that had been uncalled for but this was too much.

He’d crushed on Bucky Barnes for at least all of Senior Year if not a little before that. Openly out and proud didn’t mean high school was any easier and they hadn’t moved in the same circles. Or rather, Bucky moved in circles and Steve just sort of sat in his square, invisible or beaten up. Once, just once, Bucky had walked in when some thickheaded guys were pummelling Steve by the bike sheds. Steve was barely standing up and his memory of the incident was a little fuzzy but what he did remember was Bucky squaring up, defending him, even taking a punch before sending one flying back.

It had been over in a matter of seconds and Steve was quick to brush him off ‘I had him on the ropes’ and Bucky’s ‘yeah, I know you did’, sent enough embarrassment down his spine that he’d deliberately avoided him for the remainder of school. But mixed in somewhere with the utter humiliation was a slight thrill at the thought of Bucky Barnes in his corner.

“No, I really insist.”

“Well, that’s very kind of you.” Steve’s head snapped up and he saw his Ma with her arm looped in Bucky’s smiling and walking towards him. The sight was so alien Steve’s brain flatlined.

“Ma, you’re gonna’ have to, uh, get the bus on your own and I’ll just walk it, okay?” He tries to stay nonchalant as he struggles to his feet, unwilling to feel like a child just because he had seen an old crush, he was nearly 22 for crying out loud.

“James here has offered to drive us home.” She smiled with a look on her face that said ‘how about that’.

“No.” Steve blurted out. “I mean, that’s really alright, I don’t mind the walk.”

“My Ma would never forgive me if I let Mrs Rogers and Steve walk home and not give them a ride, okay, ‘fraid this is out of your hands.” He flashed a winning smile and Sarah laughed lightly.

“You heard the man, Steve.” And she walked around and just climbed into the back of Bucky’s car and shut the door, leaving Steve gaping like a fish out of water. He was ridiculously embarrassed at his reaction to Bucky knowing his name.

“I, I’m sorry about this, I’ll give you some money for gas,” He started but Bucky was already waving him away.

“With your missing fifty cents?” He said lightly but the comment set Steve’s teeth on edge and it must have shown on his face because Bucky winced. “Shit, sorry, I didn’t mean that in a horrible way, it was just a, you know what, never mind. Now I have to make it up to you and give you a ride home for being a jerk, right?”

“Boys, if we could get a move on or the frozen peas are going to melt,” Sarah called from the car.

“Ma,” Steve groaned, turning away from Bucky and begrudgingly clambering into his front seat, piling the bags on his lap so he couldn’t even see out of the front window. Bucky smirked at him but held up his hands in apology with a laugh at the indignant look Steve shot him.

“So, how are you getting on, James?” Sarah said, easy as anything. Apparently she didn’t grasp the gravity and weirdness of the situation.

“Good thank you, Mrs Rogers. I’m doing some personal training at the gym and uh, just applied to some community college courses as a matter of fact,” He smiled sheepishly as he reversed out of his parking space and Steve snuck glances at him from the corner of his eye. He looked a little nervous about confessing this and Steve wondered why.

“That’s wonderful news, good for you,” Sarah cheered sincerely and Bucky smiled bashfully.

“Thanks,”

“What are you studying?”

“Well, mainly languages but we have to study some other classes at first, too.” He cleared his throat. “And I’m looking into being a physiotherapist.” His cheeks were lightly pink and he drove out of the car park.

“Languages?” Steve said without thinking. Bucky met his eyes for a moment before his were back on the road.

“Yeah. I’m, uh, fluent in Russian so, just makes sense,” He trails off and Steve is surprised to see him so timid.

“That’s very impressive. Steven has just finished his Bachelor of Arts with the highest grade in his class.” You could hear the pride in Sarah’s voice and Steve turned his head towards the passenger window, still slightly uncomfortable with the praise.

“Ma,”

“Not that he’ll let me brag to anyone about it.” She adds.

“That’s, that’s really amazing. You were always good at art at school, doesn’t surprise me at all that you were the best at college.” Bucky was nodding approvingly and Steve stared at him, dumbfounded.

“You, you saw my art?”

Bucky looked over at him with a little smile. “Course I did.”

Steve looked away quickly, overwhelmed.

“It’s brilliant that you’re reaching for new goals, James.”

“Oh, thank you, Mrs Rogers. Trying to, trying to do something meaningful.” He says it quietly so Sarah may have missed it but Steve doesn’t.

“What is it you want to do, exactly?” He prods, too curious not to ask and this may be his only opportunity.

Bucky looks a little awkward again and Steve wonders why. “Well, I wanna’ help people with prosthetics, get them on their feet again or get them moving or, just, yeah.” He finishes and his eyes flicker over to Steve who feels warm from head to toe.

“And where does the Russian fall into that?” He continues and Bucky rubs a hand down his neck as he waits at a junction, indicator ticking away.

“It, well, it doesn’t really, it’s more of a,” He struggles and Steve regrets asking a little.

“Nothing wrong with chasing multiple talents,” Sarah jumps in, always knowing the right thing to say. Bucky lets out a gust of air, smiling again.

“Anything I can actually do, I’d just like to do well, and I think, I don’t know, I want to work doing something that’s going to help people.” He says absently as he pulls onto their street.

“How did you know where we lived?” Steve asks suddenly because he completely forgot to give Bucky directions.

“I used to get the school bus, too.” He answers simply as he pulls up the handbrake, giving Steve an odd look he can’t decipher. “I’ll help you with your bags.” He says, getting out of the car before Steve can object.

“Any reason for the inquisition? Poor guy.” Sarah says, sounding bemused.

“What?” Steve turns confused in his seat but she’s already getting out and then his door opens and Bucky leans in to take some bags from him. “Really, I got it.” He says as he accidentally grabs Bucky’s hand in his effort to keep hold of the bags.

“I know, but you could humour my ego and let me act all strong in front of your Ma,” He says with some mischief in his eyes and Steve is lost as to how to respond. Bucky takes advantage of it and snatches up the bags, carrying them inside.

It takes Steve some moments before he gets his legs to move, clanky and un-co-ordinated as he climbs out of the car. By this time Bucky has come back to the car, his eyes shining with humour.

“Thank you.” Steve manages, brilliant, some normal human interaction. “You’re doing good.” No, scratch that, he made it weird. Bucky smiles but it’s a confused smile.

“Okay?”

“You, the PT thing, that’s, that’s really cool.” Steve says, awkwardly adjusting the strap on his swimming bag, the only one he was left with.

“Oh. Well, thanks, I, uh, it might never happen but –”

“It will.” Steve says a little too quickly and Bucky is watching him carefully, his smile softening a little.

“You think?”

Steve just nods, not trusting himself to speak much more. Bucky nods in return and they just stand there for a minute.

“I should probably get back to the gym.”

“Right! Right, yes, yeah, you probably should.” The real world. The real world where Bucky Barnes doesn’t just drop from the sky to help him with his weekly shopping and drive him home.

“Well, thanks again,” He says, backing away towards the house. “I, uh, yeah, I really appreciate it, so,” He does this strange wave and turns away to walk inside his house and cringe forever.

“Maybe, I’ll see you around the gym.” This does make a laugh bubble up out of Steve as he turns back to Bucky.

“Sure. I’ll be the one with the inhaler, crying.”

Bucky splutters a laugh and Steve forces out a smile because great, emphasise what a physical wreck you are to Adonis here. Nice play, Rogers.

“You should come by some time. We’ll start easy.” Bucky plays along and Steve smiles but is a little uncomfortable at the thought of Bucky actually seeing how physically inadequate he is.

“What, with hopscotch?”

“No, just some jump rope, few easy circuits and some light weights. Same as all my beginners.” And he’s serious. Or at least it sounds like he is. And then he walks back over to Steve who is near enough in his hallway he’s backed off so far.

“Sorry about the fifty cents thing.”

Steve bats a hand dismissively. “It was just a joke.” He excuses.

“I’ll learn some better ones, promise.” Bucky beams and **_winks_**. “Whenever you like, come to the gym and ask for James.”

“Uh, we’ll see.” Steve hedges, certain he’s not going to go to the gym. Bucky shrugs still smiling, but moves back to his car.

“See you soon, then.” He says simply and gets into his car, lifting a hand in one last goodbye and then drives away.

Steve stands uselessly in the doorway, dumbstruck.

“I think you should do it.” His Ma says from over his shoulder and he sighs.

“I don’t fancy having an asthma attack in front of all the bodybuilders.” He mutters a little miserably and moves back, closing the front door behind them.

His Ma hums as she walks down the hallway. “And here I thought my Steve wasn’t scared of anything.”

His jaw tenses and he knows she’s baiting him. He shouldn’t rise to it. He really shouldn’t.

“I’m not scared!”

He hears her laugh. Great. Looks like he’s going to the gym.

**Author's Note:**

> that was that - let me know what you think and if you'd fancy reading more??  
> love hearing from you all - thanks for reading i appreciate it  
> b x


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